Sumitomo to advance biomass tire project

KOBE, Japan—Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. plans to commercialize highly functional biomass tire compound materials, with the first generation due for release in 2016 and the second generation in 2020.

The program builds on the company's development work that led to release, in November 2013, of what SRI said was the first ever 100-percent fossil resource-free tire.

SRI said its Enasave 100 tire offers environmental performance in terms of raw materials, fuel efficiency and resource efficiency, as well as a performance that proves the potential of biomass materials.